When do you like to stake?

[Cinderella]

I was wondering when most of you like to stake. I didn't stake my Paph Ruby Leopard x Fairrieanum until the 2 buds bloomed and they were facing in different directions. Not good. Sometimes, tho, I prefer to wait until most of the flowers have bloomed on a spike before I stake. I know you are "supposed to" stake after only a few inches. Ron, for example, is a non-staker. What about everybody else?

 

[Heather]

I try to only stake if I have to, or when I am traveling with a plant, and I generally use the stakes with a wire loop at the top.

 

[littlefrog]

Early evening before the sun goes down. If the vampires wake up, you gots trouble...

 

[Marco]

i don't stake i hang my plants...

 

[Greenpaph]

I generally stake before the buds open and I know the spike is as tall as it probably will be.

 

[cdub]

I'm with Peter on this one. I now let my paph spikes do their own thing, which is usually straight, until I'm sure the spikes are at their highest. Otherwise, I find that if I try to stake too early, the spike will "fight" it a bit and grow all squirrely.

i don't stake i hang my plants...

Marco, you always have to be the different one eh!?

 

[Jon in SW Ohio]

If a plant's not going to a show, and is only for my enjoyment I don't stake unless the fans are knocking the spike around too much.

If I am planning to show a plant, and want it to have that picturesque look, I stick the stake in the pot at the first sign of a spike, right behind the growth if possible so the spike grows straight up it. I use floral tape, wrapped very gently around the spike and stake, leaving a bit of wobble room so the spike doesn't get hung up as it grows. Every couple days the spike has grown up more and starts to lean, and it gets tied back to the stake. It can look funny having 100 tie points on a stake, but when finished you take all but one or two off and have a perfect spike with blooms oriented perfectly on it. Another VERY important thing to do while staking is DO NOT MOVE THE PLANT, not even turn it an inch! This will make the spike and blooms re-orient towards a different spot, thus making all your work in vain.

Compare the results in these Gemstone's Randchilds(two pieces of the same clone 'Mary Cox'):

Staked from first sign of spiking

Au Natural (stake only used to hold the spike up for the photo)

Jon

 

[Heather]

Oh, and for heaven's sake, stake carefully! My mom has a Phal that had a leaf dying and she asked me to look at it. Some idiot (she bought it in bloom, I am NOT calling my mom an idiot!) staked the plant through the bottom leaf. Geeesh!

 

[Heather]

Compare the results in these Gemstone's Randchilds(two pieces of the same clone 'Mary Cox'):

Jon

Damn.
You are just trying to fuel my new obsession.
Quit w/ the temptation, will you please???

(that is a good example though. Dare I say I like them on the more helter skelter side of things? Au natural? I do not have it in me to be a judge, perhaps. Then again, I got asked to be a trustee on the board this past weekend.....have yet to commit though. Hmmm...new thread topic....)

 

[Jon in SW Ohio]

:rollhappy: That's the only reason I used that plant to be honest :rollhappy:

Jon

 

[Heather]

:rollhappy: That's the only reason I used that plant to be honest :rollhappy:

Jon

Which one?

Trying to fuel my obsession, or it being a good example? oke:

 

[Rick]

My philosophy is pretty much like Jon's, for big multiflorals. You could probably wait for a while longer with single blooming types.

 

[Cinderella]

Jon I liked both, they are just different.

 

[NYEric]

I believe in staking the spikes to relieve the stress of the buds' weight from the spike. This allows the plant to put it's energy into the flower. In Japan, I hear, the culture is meticulous about staking to get the "perfect" orientation, et al.

 

[Ron-NY]

Debbie I should have told you that most of the time I don't stake. Occasionally a multifloral will need to be staked but most of mine grow straight.

 

[L I Jane]

Sometimes you have to stake because of the absence of enough room.:rollhappy: I stake when I see that the stem seems weak & the bud heavy to relieve stress on the plant or the stem is getting bends in it.This happens when you pick them out of many & then you don't get it exactly back in the same spot.

 

[likespaphs]

i'm not a stake-er either...that is, unless the plant is going to travel. then, i always stake. sometimes, i even steak...
dude, that Gemstone's Randchild is freakin' awesome!